Thanks Rob
Your right about bhp I've found out today that the car is 136bhp not 168bp,I just want to tow a small 2 berth caravan like a Bailey gt60 which is around 868kg unladen, I am not sure if it will get up hills ok.
Thanks for replying I'm just looking for knowledge from experienced caravaners.
You need to check the V5 and weight plate on the car to check the kerbweight and towing limit. You also need to know the MTPLM of the caravan as well as the unladen weight. Depending on the gross train weight of car and caravan you may need a B+E licence if you don't already have one, I doubt if you will need it but best to check before you make an expensive mistake.
I am sure you will be fine my 4 berth Bailey is 1184kg my Alfa 1.6 diesel with 320nm torque, and there is no where that car wont take the caravan. I recently learned that the Vauxhall has a fiat engine fitted which is the same engine that is used in the Alfa, I believe this to be true because when the mechanic changed my cambelt he used a Vauxhall locking tool kit
------------- its our imperfections that makes us perfect
No concerns at all with the weight of the caravan you're looking at.
I don't have the figures in front of me - as others have said, you'll need to look at the V5 to be certain - but for most diesel engined cars of that size the maximum towing limit is well in excess of the weight of the car itself. However, towing limits are (a) not set using high-sided caravans and (b) based on the weight that the car will physically move from a standing hill start, rather than that which it will tow comfortably on the motorway. For these reasons, it's widely recommended that you keep the weight of a caravan to less than the kerb weight of the car - some guidance suggests a ration of 85% but that's very crude. The car should certainly be capable of towing 1400kg+ without difficulty.
One other thing to bear in mind if you have a post-1997 'Category B' licence: this limits the maximum permissible weights (note: NOT the actual weights) of car and caravan combined to 3500kg. This again won't be an issue for the small caravans you're looking at, but watch it if you're tempted by something bigger and heavier (which is easily done)!
------------- "Don't wait for the perfect moment. Take the moment and make it perfect."
Quote: Originally posted by SamandRose on 25/9/2019
No concerns at all with the weight of the caravan you're looking at.
One other thing to bear in mind if you have a post-1997 'Category B' licence: this limits the maximum permissible weights (note: NOT the actual weights) of car and caravan combined to 3500kg. This again won't be an issue for the small caravans you're looking at, but watch it if you're tempted by something bigger and heavier (which is easily done)!
If you bother to read his posts, you'll see that he is a Class 1 HGV driver!!
David - I'm sorry but there is no need for that. None of the comments in this thread make any reference to the OP being an HGV driver, and no I didn't look up whatever posts he had made in other threads; why would I want to do that before trying to answer the question that he had asked here?
One point I did make (and that you have reproduced) is that licence restrictions are not an issue for the car/caravan combination that he is looking at. However, given that other people also read these threads, I couldn't see the harm in also advising of this position. If my advice benefits one person, I'll be content. Not least because - with due respect - that's one more person than will benefit from comments such as yours.
------------- "Don't wait for the perfect moment. Take the moment and make it perfect."
Quote: Originally posted by SamandRose on 21/10/2019
David - I'm sorry but there is no need for that. None of the comments in this thread make any reference to the OP being an HGV driver, and no I didn't look up whatever posts he had made in other threads; why would I want to do that before trying to answer the question that he had asked here?
One point I did make (and that you have reproduced) is that licence restrictions are not an issue for the car/caravan combination that he is looking at. However, given that other people also read these threads, I couldn't see the harm in also advising of this position. If my advice benefits one person, I'll be content. Not least because - with due respect - that's one more person than will benefit from comments such as yours.
Sorry SamandRose to be the Devil's Advocate, but redphill55 DID state on this thread that he has a HGV1 license in his 2nd reply on 15/9 and David is correct.